Location

Hours

La Cena di Riso

11/19/13 - Tuesday

Event Time: 7:00

To attend La Cena Di Riso, call Quartino Ristorante & Wine Bar at 312-698-5000, Buy tickets. Tickets are priced all inclusively at $60. Attendees should arrive at Quartino by 7 p.m. on Tuesday, November 19 at 626 North State Street.

-- Executive Chef John Coletta of Quartino Ristorante & Wine Bar and Host Catherine De Orio of Check, Please!, are teaming up to educate Chicago foodies with a wine dinner event that will unveil the history behind one of Italy’s most historic and cherished meals: Rice. No, not pasta. Rice – or, riso in Italiano. Pasta is a beloved staple on Italian dinner tables that yields thousands of regionally specific preparations but, “What many diners do not realize is how important riso is in the realm of authentic Italian gastronomy, and that there are hundreds of years of rich history that reveal why it is valued in La Cucina Italiana today,” explains Coletta.

Guests are invited to come and enjoy an engaging evening of authentic Italian food and wine at La Cena di Riso on Tuesday, November 19 at Quartino. Chef Coletta will present a five course meal, highlighting several unique varietals of Italian riso and the preparations that make them shine. “Many people don’t realize all of the creative ways that riso is used,” says event co-host Catherine De Orio about the versatility behind the evening’s star ingredient. “Arborio rice and standard risotto dishes are merely the tip of the iceberg!”

Upon arrival at 7 p.m., guests are invited to enjoy selected wines and an appetizer reception as they observe Chef Coletta and Catherine demonstrate the preparation of the old-world La Panissa, on the outdoor second floor balcony of Quartino. For centuries, late fall has been the time in Italy when the workers of the Po (Piemonte) and Vo (Veneto) valleys harvest riso. On the Acquerello rice patties of Colombara, rice harvesters would cook La Panissa, a very rustic “origin” dish that is the basis for many modern Italian preparations of rice. It was cooked outdoors in tremendous copper pots where the harvesters would gather, eat and celebrate – And, as it has been done for the past 600 years, the harvesters still prepare this dish today.

Following the interactive cocktail hour, Chef Coletta will commence a seated dinner, with each of his courses incorporating different kinds of Italian riso, paired with selected wines from Piemonte and Veneto. As each course comes to the table, Chef Coletta and Catherine will engage with diners, exploring the characteristics and uses of the riso and the dynamic way that it is used in La Cucina Italiana. “Aside from authentic Italian food and wine, La Cena di Riso is also centered around educating people on Italy’s dynamic culinary heritage. This is something that both myself, and Chef Coletta are really committed to,” says De Orio about why the duo decided to join forces for the event.

With riso as the main focus, Chef Coletta was inspired to create the following seasonal menu for La Cena Di Riso:

About Quartino Ristorante & Wine Bar:As an ambassador for Italian Gastronomy in Chicago, Executive Chef John Coletta offers diners an authentic, urban Italian food and wine experience. Quartino Ristorante & Wine Bar features a menu of regional Italian specialties, many made in-house with the highest respect for Italian culinary tradition. The menu includes a wide range of items including Artisanal Salumi, Pizza, Pasta in Casa (house-made) and Seafood. Quartino Ristorante & Wine Bar is located at 626 North State Street in Chicago. Quartino is open Sunday-Friday: 11:30 a.m. - 2 a.m., and Saturday: 11:30 a.m. – 3 a.m. Reservations may be made by calling (312)-698-5000. For more information, visit www.QuartinoChicago.com. Follow Quartino on Facebook, and @QuartinoChicago on Twitter.HOURS:Lunch, Dinner, Late Night. Open Daily at 11:30 AM serving Food until 1 AM and Wine until 2 AM.